Hydro-broom

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for cleaning floor surfaces having spots or patches of grease, oil or like waste, including supplies of water, soap and detergents fed through a mixing chamber to a brush member. Instead of a brush member, a wax applicator or a sponge device may be connected to the mixing chamber.

United States Patent 91 Soultanian HYDRO-BROOM [76] inventor: Ye ghiaSoultanian, 2325 Swainwoo Dr., Glenview, 111. 60025 1 221' Filed; June14, 1972 21 'Appl. No.: 262,793

51 in. C1. A46b 11/06 [58] Field of Search 401/37-43, 401/136-139, 289

.[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,673,999 4/1954 ,Shey401/136 5] Apr. 23, 1974 Cote ..L 401/138 1,818,280 8/1931 Soss 401/42 X606,713 7/1898 .Gulick 401/42 2,502,937 4/1950 Franklin 401/41 X PrimaryExaminerLawrence Charles Attorney, Agent, or FirM-Silverman & Cass [57]ABSTRACT Apparatus for cleaning floor surfaces having spots or patchesof grease, oil or like waste, including supplies of water, soap anddetergents fed through a mixing chamber to a brush member. Instead ofabrush memher, a wax applicator or a sponge device-may be connected tothe mixing chamber.

8 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures PATENTEB APR 2 3 I874 sum 3 [1P3 FIG. 9

FIG. 13

Uqos F I6 15 HYDRO-BROOM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THEPREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS.1,5,6, the hydro-broom generallyApparatus'for cleaning floors of simple and complex designated byreference character includes a brush design have long been known, one ofthe simple devices being a broomlike structure having bristles formed offlexible material. Such broom structure, however, is not an adequatetool in cases, for instance garages member 12 mounted in a mixingchamber 14 to which is attached the lower end of a tube 16 comprising awater supply line. A box 18 containing a detergent is mounted on top ofthe mixing chamber 14 in a manner wherein the floors may have spots ofgrease, oil-or 10 other industrial waste materials. Similar problemsoccur in workshops, service stations and the like. It is obvious thatany attempt to clean such floors with a dry brush member will notprovide the solution. In order to remove grease, oil and the like fromthe floor, it isnecessary'to use soap.or detergents'and also, in someinstances, water supply preferably under pressure.

The present invention provides a simple and inexpensive cleaning toolwhich combines a brush member havingbristles with dispensing means fordetergents and water supply facilities. 7

Another embodiment of the invention provides a waxing member to be usedafter the floor has been cleaned.

A further embodiment comprises a sponge device to be used in particularfor inside floors.

SUMMARY OF THEINVEN-TION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is aperspective view of an embodiment of the invention; t I FIG. 2 is anenlarged view partly in section along line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

'FIG. 3 is a plan view, partially in section, of the embodiment of FIG.-2;-

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view along line 4-4 F IG. 5 isan'enlarged elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with partsshown in section;

FIG. 6 isyan enlarged fragmentary view "of the .rever side of theembodiment of FIG. 5; V

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a mixing chamber;

FIG. 8, is a sectional view along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the brush member;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the brush member ofFIG. 9; t v

F IG. If] is a planview of a waxing applicator;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view' of the waxing applicator along a line 12-12of FIG. 11;

FIGE13 is a plan view of a sponge-mop device;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the spongedevice along aline 14-44 ofFIG. 13;

FIG. 15 be bottom plan view of the waxin'g applicator fitted with asupport plate, and

FIG. '16 is a median sectional 'viewof the waxing applicator of FIG.15."

which will be described in detail hereinafter. The upper end of the'tube16 is fastened to a handle member 20.

'be dispensed into the mixing chamber 14. The valve member 30 iscontrolled by means of a flexible line 32 extending from the valvemember 30 along the tube 16 to a control lever 34 which is pivotallymounted to the handle member 20, details thereof being describedhereinafter. i

FIGS. 2 to 5 and 7 to 10 illustrate details of the mixing chamber 14,the brush member 12 and the detergent box 18 mounted on the mixingchamber. .Bristles 36 are fastened in aconventional manner to a bristlecarrier plate 38 of generallyrectangular shape, both being formed ofplastic material. A fitting 40 is molded integrally with the mixingchamber-l4, the axis of the fitting 40 :having an angle alpha with thebase plane of i the mixing chamber, as indicated in FIG. 8 ofapproxir'nately 45 to-. The fitting 40 is threaded and adapted toreceive the lower end of the tube 16 which is similarly threaded. Thefitting may also be provided with a twist lock in a conventional manner.

FIG. 4 illustrates the way in which the detergent box 18 is releasablyfastened to the mixing chamber 14. On the top surface of the mixingfchamlber14, a number 'of cylindrical protrusions 42 are moldedintegrally with the top plate of the mixingchamber. The protrusions 42are formed such as to have top circular flanges 44, the diameter thereofbeing somewhat larger than the diameter of the protrusions.

The detergent box 18 is provided on its base 46 with the same number ofprotrusions 48 which are also molded integrally with the base 46. Theprotrusions 48 are formed such as to have each an annular groove .50having a diameterslightly smaller than the diameter of the top flange 44of protrusion 42.

In mounting the detergent box 18 onto the mixing chamber 14 theprotrusions 48 of the detergent boxare positioned accurately over theprotrusions 42 of the mixing chamber and subsequently a slight pressureis applied in pushing down the detergent box such that the flanges 44snap. into the grooves 50. The attachhorizontal and vertical lines asbest shown in FIG. 9. The holes 52 are positioned such as to bestaggered relative to and not interfere with the bristles.

The mixing chamber as seen in FIGS. 1, Sand 7,8 is of a shell-typeconfiguration having a rectangular base. The chamber is provided withtwo reinforcing ribs 54 'as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Four stop members 56molded integrally with the shell body of the mixing chamber for thepurpose of securely positioning the bristle carrier plate 38 within themixing chamber.

An elongate flange portion 58 is integrally molded with the shell body14 such as to extend along a greater part of the longitudinal side 60 ofthe shell body. The flange portion 58 serves to keep the bristle carrierplate in position within the mixing chamber, as will next be explained.1

As best seen in FIG. 10, the bristle carrier plate 38 is of generallyrectangular cross section, but the lower side 62 as shown in the drawingof the rectangle is, unlike the other three sides, not straight but of aslightly curved configuration.

In assembling the apparatus the bristle carrier plate 38 is introducedinto the mixing chamber 14 by first moving the upper side 64 of theplate 38 slantingly into the chamber 14 to the upper stops 56 and behindthe flange; 58, and subsequently pivoting the plate 38 around the side64 whichrests on the upper stop members 56, until the lower side 62 ofthe plate 38 comes to rest on the lower stop members 56. Since the lowerside 62 is, as previously stated, of curved configuration the pivotingmovement of the plate 38 is performed smoothly and without encounteringany obstruction.

Once the plate 38 is in position,-restingon the stop members 56 and theupper part covered by the flange 58, screws 66 on the outside of theshell 14 which may be of the wood screw type, preferably having wingheads enable fastening the plate 38 to the shell side, thus securing astable and rigid position of the bristle plate in the mixing chamber.

FIG. illustrates the detergent box 18 and the valve lever 28 mountedthereon or regulating the quantity of detergent to be fed to the mixingchamber 14. As previously indicated, a flexible line 32 fastened to thecontrol lever 34 which is pivotably mounted on the handle memberpreferably is conducted through eyelets 68, 69 on fittings 70 and 72 onthe tube 16, through an eyelet 71 in the valve lever 28 to a knob 73 onvalve lever 28 and fastened as a loop around it. The valve lever 28 ispositioned over the detergent box 18 such as to be pivotable about alower edge 75 of the lever. The valve comprises a rod 78 carried by thelower portion 76 of the lever 28 which rod is surrounded by a spring 80.The lower end of rod 78 is fastened to the valve body 82 which isdisposed over valve seat 84.

When the operator wishes to release a quantity of detergent into themixing chamber 14 he presses control lever 34 down. The pivotingmovement of lever 34 causes line 32 to be pulled whereby the valve lever28 exercises a pivoting motion around edge 75.to the right as seen inFIG. 5 of the drawing. This last pivoting motion of lever 28 causes thefitting of rod 78 against the force of spring 80 and the separating ofthe valve body 82 from valve seat 84, thereby opening the valve andpermitting detergent to flow from the box 18 through the orifice 86 intothe mixing chamber 14. By pressing the lever 34 more or less theoperator is able to control the quantity of detergent to be releasedinto the mixing chamber.

FIGS. 11, 12 and 15, 16 illustrate another embodiment of the invention.Here, the mixing chamber 14 does not contain the brush plate 38 with itsbristles 36, but instead a wax applicator 87 joinedto a support plate 88is placed in the mixing chamber. The support plate 88 has a smallrectangular recess 90 on its upper side 92-as seen in FIG. 16 of thedrawing which recess aids in introducing the wax applicator behind theflange 58.

The wax applicator comprises a rectangular base plate 94 formed of woodor plastic material and a fabric 96 of cloth suitable for waxing whichis either cemented to the base plate 94 or wrapped around it and gluedthereto. On the lower side of the support plate 88 on the left side in'FIG. 16 of the drawing a small bushing 98 is secured thereto. The waxcontained in the box 18 flows from there through a hole 100 in thebushing 98 and bores 102 which are arranged on the center line of thebase plate 94 to the fabric 96. Two threaded bolts 104 traverse the baseplate 94 and the support plate 88, and together with wing nuts 103-serve to secure the two plates to one another.

A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14.The support plate 94 as previously described with regard to FIGS. 12 and16 is here in FIG. 14 shown connected to a sponge mopping member 106.The connection is obtained by gluing in a conventional manner. Aplurality of holes 107 in the sup- 'port plate 94 are arranged alonglines as shown in FIG.

13. The holes may be arranged in a different order. A lever plate 108having a handle 109 is constructed to be pivotable around an axisvertical to the drawing plane and adjacent the lower end of the supportplate 94 such that when the lever plate 108 is pivoted into the upperposition, as shown in the drawing, the sponge mopping member 106 issqueezed and any liquid containing waste substances is removed from thesponge mopping member.

What it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States isclaimed:

1. Apparatus for cleaning large floor areas covered with spots of oil,grease and the like, said apparatus comprising in combination A. atrough shaped mixingchamber having an open bottom in which water and achemical substance supplied thereto may be mixed;

B. a box for receiving and holding a chemical substance, said boxdisposed above the mixing chamber and in communication therewith;

C. valve means normally blocking flow from said box to said chamber;

D. elongated conduit means for feeding water into the mixing chamberfrom a supply;

E. handle means connected to the conduit means;

F. means attached to the handle means for controlling the quantity ofwater fed into the mixing'cham J. said means for treating the floor areacomprising a carrier plate of generally rectangular configuration havinga floor treating element attached thereto, a plurality of holesextending through the carrier plate to allow passage of liquid from themixing chamber to the floor treating element, the carrier plate havingat least one curved longitudinal side which facilitates positioning thesecond longitudinal side of the carrier plate intermediate thelongitudinal flange of the mixing chamber and the stop members.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for controllingthe quantity of water includes a valve and a control lever associatedtherewith readily operable when holding the handle.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said floor treating elementcomprises a plurality of brush bristle groups attached to the carrierplate, the holes in the carrier plate being staggered relative to theattachment points of the bristle groups.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said floor treating elementcomprises a sponge mopping member.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said floor treating elementcomprises a wax applicator fabric.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the actu ating meanscomprises, a control lever pivotally fastened to the handle means and aflexible line extending valve means to admit the chemical substance intothe mixing chamber.

7. Apparatus as claimed in means include A. a valve lever mounted overthe box and having an edge on the bottom thereof about which the valvelever is pivotable,

B. a valve rod secured to the lower portion of the valve lever,

C. a valve body fastened to the rod,

D. a helical spring mounted over the valve body so as to surround thevalve rod,

E. a'valve seat secured to the base of the box and adapted to receivethe valve body for closing the valve.

8.-Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the top claim 6 in which thevalve lower end of the valve portion of the valve lever comprises aneyelet, and.

knob means below the eyelet, the flexible line being adapted to traversethe eyelet and be secured to the knob means, whereby upon the flexibleline being pulled, the valve lever is pivoted about the pivoting edgecausing the opening of the valve.

igggg UNITEO STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.6- Datd pril 3, 1974 lnv t fl Yeghia Soultanian It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected asshown below:

r" I y (301. 3, line 38- Change ".on" to for---.

Col. 3, line 58 Change "fitting" to -1ifting.

C01. 4, line 39 Delete "claimed" Signed and sealed this 17th day pfSeptember I974;

(SEAL) I Attest:

C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner of Patents MecOY M. GIBSON JR. AttestingOfficer

1. Apparatus for cleaning large floor areas covered with spots of oil, grease and the like, said apparatus comprising in combination A. a trough shaped mixing chamber having an open bottom in which water and a chemical substance supplied thereto may be mixed; B. a box for receiving and holding a chemical substance, said box disposed above the mixing chamber and in communication therewith; C. valve means normally blocking flow from said box to said chamber; D. elongated conduit means for feeding water into the mixing chamber from a supply; E. handle means connected to the conduit means; F. means attached to the handle means for controlling the quantity of water fed into the mixing chamber; G. actuating means associated with the handle means for opening said valve means to regulate the amount of the chemical substance fed into the mixing chamber; H. means for treating the surface of the floor area, said last means being secured within the mixing chamber and closing the bottom thereof; I. and a plurality of stop members integrally formed within said trough and a longitudinal flange integral with the bottom edge of the chamber and extending along a relatively great portion thereof; J. said means for treating the floor area comprising a carrier plate of generally rectangular configuration having a floor treating element attached thereto, a plurality of holes extending through the carrier plate to allow passage of liquid from the mixing chamber to the floor treating element, the carrier plate having at least one curved longitudinal side which facilitates positioning the second longitudinal side of the carrier plate intermediate the longitudinal flange of the mixing chamber and the stop members.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for controlling the quantity of water includes a valve and a control lever associated therewith readily operable when holding the handle.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said floor treating element comprises a plurality of brush bristle groups attached to the carrier plate, the holes in the carrier plate being staggered relative to the attachment points of the bristle groups.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said floor treating element comprises a sponge mopping member.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said floor treating element comprises a wax applicator fabric.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the actuating means comprises, a control lever pivotally fastened to the handle means and a flexible line extending from the control lever along the conduit means to the valve means, wherein, upon pivoting the control lever the flexible line is pulled up, causing opening of said valve means to admit the chemical substance into the mixing chamber.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the valve means include A. a valve lever mounted over the box and having an edge on the bottom thereof about which the valve lever is pivotable, B. a valve rod secured to the lower portion of the valve lever, C. a valve body fastened to the lower end of the valve rod, D. a helical spring mounted over the valve body so as to surround the valve rod, E. a valve seat secured to the base of the box and adapted to receive the valve body for closing the valve.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the top portion of the valve lever comprises an eyelet, and knob means below the eyelet, the flexible line being adapted to traverse the eyelet and be secured to the knob means, whereby upon the flexible line being pulled, the valve lever is pivoted about the pivoting edge causing the opening of the valve. 